Ireland warms actor's heart

A stage, film and television actor, Stephen Lang is known for his commanding roles. One of the stars of "Avatar," the 59-year-old New Yorker currently can be seen in the Fox series "Terra Nova."

Lang's love of traveling began early. "The first trip I recall was driving with my family to Washington, D.C., Mount Vernon and Williamsburg," Lang said. "I liked all of it, but my favorite part was staying in motels. I loved motels when I was a kid, particularly the swimming pools and ice machines. My kids were the same way. I imagine most kids are."

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?

A: It's very difficult to pick a favorite destination. Rome and Paris come to mind. The American Southwest, Amsterdam, the Caribbean, New Zealand, China. … I love all those places. But I will pick Ireland. I am very fond of the people, landscape, poetry, music, history and the Guinness. Being there makes me think of my mother and my grandmother — always sentimental and warm thoughts.

Q: To someone who is going there for the first time, what would you recommend they do during their visit?

A: First time in Ireland? You must spend time wandering the streets of Dublin. Go to the library at Trinity College and see the Book of Kells. Go see the Bantry Bay House way down south, the Dingle Peninsula and Kilmainham Gaol.

Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A: I like to head down to Gettysburg for a weekend. I've wandered the battlefield for years and always discover something new. It is a place of beauty and spirit and emotion. And it changes with the seasons. I enjoy it in the summer when the town bustles with parents bringing their kids. But maybe even more in the late fall and winter when the chilly silence and bare branches invite introspection and contemplation. It is a profoundly important place for every citizen.

Q: What are your favorite hotels?

A: Hotel Pavillon de la Reine (hotel

pavillondelareine.com/index.html) in Paris. Claridges (claridges.co.uk) in London. Also Hazlitt House in London. The Hotel Pulitzer (pulitzeramsterdam.com) in Amsterdam. The King David (tinyurl.com/cz22sag in Jerusalem. And my favorite, the Hassler (hotelhasslerroma.com) in Rome.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: Well, New York City is home, so maybe it should not be on the list — but it is the city, isn't it? Other cities I love are Chicago; New Orleans; Washington, D.C.; and Tucson. Those are my five favorite American cities. Istanbul, Jerusalem, Amsterdam, Paris, London and Dublin are wonderful as well.

Q: Where would you like to go that you've never been?

A: I have not been to Mongolia. I would like to tour the Gobi on motorcycle. I would like to go to Madagascar. I would like to tour Norway and Denmark.

Q: What would be your dream trip?

A: Fantasy trip would probably be riding the Silk Road in China on a Kawasaki Tenere.

Q: What are your favorite restaurants?

A: Honestly, I love good food but cannot consider myself a foodie. The best lunch I ever ate was at Bantry House (bantryhouse.com) in Ireland. It was little salmon and bacon sandwiches.